Expansible reinforcing element for masonry wall joints



H. W. PETTY Aug. 27, 1968 EXPANSIBLE REINFORCING ELEMENT FOR MASONRY WALL JOINTS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 18, 1965 11v VENTOR. Hf/VA) W MW k Afro/M15 Aug. 27, 1968 H. w. PETTY 3,398,495

BXPANSIBLE REINFORCING ELEMENT FOR MASONRY WALL JOINTS Filed Oct. 18, 1965 '5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. MFA/1P) W. P177) Aug. 27, 1968 H. w. PETTY 3,393,495

EXPANSIBLE REINFORCING ELEMENT FOR MASONRY WALL JOINTS,

Filed Oct. 18, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 E910. HE/VAV vv i x g' r) United States Patent 3,398,495 EXPANSIBLE REINFORCING ELEMENT FOR MASONRY WALL JOINTS Henry W. Petty, 39 E. Main St., Moorestown, NJ. 08057 Filed Oct. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 497,155 12 Claims. (Cl. 52-442) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A masonry wall reinforcing element in the general form of a squared S or squared figure 8 to provide opposite end sections joined by a resilient central connection, the reinforcing element being used to tie together adjacent masonry wall sections and to permit controlled relative movement of the latter by rigidly anchoring the opposite end sections of a reinforcing element respectively in adjacent wall sections with the resilient central connection bridging the gap therebetween and free to flex.

This invention relates generally to masonry wall joints, and more particularly relates to reinforcing means integrally bonded into the masonry wall structure at predetermined points.

A principal object of my invention is to provide a novel masonry wall joint effective to tie together adjacent longitudinally extending wall sections which are otherwise not fixed to one another.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel masonry wall joint as aforesaid in which the reinforcing tie elements provide a resilient connection between adjacent wall sections to thereby permit sufficient movement therebetween to prevent cracking of the wall sections themselves by causing all relative wall section movement to take place at the joint.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a novel reinforced masonry wall expansion joint in which the expansion joint may be made substantially invisible in the finished wall.

The foregoing and other objects of my invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a reading of the following specification in conjunction with an examination of the appended drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a part of a masonry wall illustrating the use of the expansion joint reinforcement in accordance with and embodying the principles of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the masonry wall illustrated in the showing of FIGURE 1 as would be seen when viewed from above as indicated by the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a showing similar to that of FIGURE 2 but illustrating a joint reinforcing member which is substantially a half section of the reinforcing member or element shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURES 4 and 5 correspond respectively to reinforced masonry wall joints of the type illustrated in FIG- URES 3 and 2 but of modified dimension for use with narrow width masonry blocks;

FIGURE 6 illustrates the reinforcing member itself, of the symmetric type as seen in the showings of FIGURES 2 and 5;

FIGURE 7 illustrates the asymmetric or half section type of reinforcing member observed in the showings of FIGURES 3 and 4;

FIGURE 8 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of a masonry wall construction showing a modified application of the present invention;

FIGURE 9 illustrates another modification of the present invention; and

ice

FIGURE 10 shows still another modification of a wall constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

In the several figures, like elements are denoted by like reference characters.

Turning now to an examination of the figures, it is observed in the showing of FIGURE 1 that the masonry wall 10 under construction includes a bottom course 11, middle course 12 and upper course 13 formed from brick, cement or cinder block or the like. The bottom and upper courses 11 and 13, insofar as illustrated, consist of a plurality of end-wise disposed full blocks 14, whereas the middle course 12 includes also two half-blocks 15 so positioned in the wall that their facing ends are in alignment with the facing ends of the full blocks 14 in the courses immediately thereabove and therebelow to form a vertically extending open joint 16. The several courses of block are bonded together by horizontal layers of mortar 17a, while the blocks within a course are similarly bonded together at their proximate ends by mortar 17 excepting at pre-determined horizontally spaced intervals where the open joints 16 are formed. Thus, the masonry wall 10 is observed to be constructed of a plurality of inplane, or otherwise oriented, vertical wall sections endwise separated from one another by vertically extending open joints of the type illustrated at 16.

The open joints 16 act as control joints in that they are in effect vertically extending cracks in the masonry wall provided as stress relief to prevent the uncontrolled cracking of the wall due to normal shrinkage conditions which would occur in a wall which was rigidly formed as an integral unit. The uncontrolled wall cracking is thus prevented by utilizing what are effectively controlled cracks in a form of the open joints 16 placed at strategically spaced intervals. Adjacent sections .of the wall 10 which are spaced to form the open joints 16 must be tied together to provide structural integrity to the composite structure which is being built in order to prevent the individual wall sections from eventually moving ,out of alignment with one another. This tying function is provided by the novel reinforcing members according to the invention which are built into the wall 10 as it is constructed and which resiliently tie adjacent wall sections together to thereby reinforce one with another while retaining the ability of each wall section to move relative to an adjacent wall section, within limits. Such a reinforcing element is designated generally as 18 in the showing of FIGURE 1, and is seen more clearly in the enlarged view of FIGURE 2 while being shown by itself in the perspective view of FIGURE 6.

From FIGURES 2 and 6 it is observed that the reinforcing element 18 is a generally symmetrical structure formed from steel rod by bending the latter into the general form of a figure 8 having a pair of parallel generally rectangular loop bights 19 and 20 joined to each other by the crossover sections 21 and 22. The crossover section 21 includes the longitudinally spaced laterally offset parallel opposite end portions 21a and 21b whose inner ends are connected by the diagonally extending straight portion 21c and whose outer ends are joined respectively to the respectively oppositely positioned sides 19:: and 20b of the reinforcing element loop bights 19 and 20. Similarly, the crossover section 22 includes a pair of longitudinally spaced laterally offset parallel portions 22a and 22b whose inner ends are joined by the diagonal straight portion 220, and whose outer ends are respectively joined to the respectively oppositely positioned sides 20a and 19b of the reinforcing element loop bights 19 and 20. The diagonal straight portions 21c and 22c of the crossover sections 21 and 22 are disposed in the form of an X so that the crossover sections end portions 21a and 22b are in longitudinal alignment with one another, and similarly for the end portions 22a and 21b. The opposite ends of the rod from which the reinforcing element 18 are formed are laid parallel next to one another and secured together by means of the tie Wires 23 at the outer end of loop bight 19.

As best seen in FIGURE 2 the dimensions of the reinforcing element 18 are chosen with regard to the dimensions of the masonry block with which they are to be used so that sides and outer ends 24 and 25 of the loop bights 19 and 20 overlie the solid sides and outer end portions of the masonry blocks 14, and the angulation of the diagonal straight portions 210 and 220 of the crossover sections is so chosen that the parallel portions 21a, 21b, 22a, and 22b of the crossover sections overlie solid inner end portions of the masonry blocks when the gap size of the open joint 16 is made equal to that of a normally mortared joint as shown for example at 17 in FIGURE 2. As also best seen in the showing of FIGURE 2, the reinforcing element 18 is laid flatwise downward upon the adjacent blocks 14 with the crossover sections 21 and 22 bridging the open joint 16 between adjacent wall sections of the wall 10. The reinforcing element loop bights 19 and 20 with the exception of the crossover sections 21 and 22, are embedded in the mortar layer 17a which is disposed between the rows of the masonry blocks, it being noted that the portions 14a of the blocks which embrace the cross-over sections 21 and 22 are free of mortar.

Additional masonry blocks 14 and are of course laid upon the upper course 13 as the wall is built vertically higher so that the reinforcing element 18 is securely embedded within the wall with all portions excepting the crossover sections 21 and 22 being rigidly set into the wall structures. Since the crossover sections 21 and 22 are not embedded in mortar they are free to distort in the event that one wall section tends to move relatively to an adjacent section. The connection between adjacent wall section is thus a resilient one rather than a rigid connection and the beneficial effects of the open joint are thereby retained. The reinforcing elements 18 may be utilized at desired vertical intervals and may be formed from steel rod of desired thickness in accordance with the reinforcing requirements of the particular wall structure. The open joint 16 may be closed by means of a decorative molding, by insertion of a caulking compound or by utilization of a masonry wall joint cover of the type shown in my United States Patent No. 3,066,451.

FIGURE 5 illustrates the same basic structural configuration as that just described in connection with the showing of FIGURE 2 with the exception that the masonry blocks designated as 14' are of narrower width than those designated as 14 in FIGURE 2, and the end structure of such blocks 14 is flat planar instead of the end configuration characteristic of the larger blocks shown in FIGUREZ. Of course, the reinforcing element 18' is necessarily narrower with respect to the width of the loop bights 19' and 20' than is the case with the loop bights 19 and 20 of the larger reinforcing element -18. Consequently, the reinforcing element crossover sections 21' and 22' are shorter than the corresponding crossover sections 21 and 22 of the wider reinforcing element 18. The wall structures are otherwise similar, that is, the blocks within a course are bonded together by mortar 17 excepting where the open joint 16' is placed, while the several courses are bonded to one another by the mortar layers 17a.

FIGURE 3 illustrates a modified form of the structure of FIGURE 2 in that the reinforcing element designated as 118 in FIGURE 3 is an asymmetric generally S-shaped structure comprising somewhat more than one half of the figure 8 type of reinforcing element 18 illustrated in FIGURE 2. The S-shaped reinforcing element 118 of FIGURE 3 may be constructed from the reinforcing element 18 of FIGURE 2 by removing from the latter the crossover section 22 and approximatelythree quarters of the length of the loop bights side pieces 19b and 20a which are joined to the crossover section. The S-shaped reinforcing element 118 thus consists of the parallel straight rod portions 119a, 119b, a and 12% with the portions 119a and 1191; being joined by the transversely extending length 124 while the parallel spaced rod portions 120a and 1 20b are joined byfthe transversely extending rod portion to forni a pair of L-shaped or I-shaped sections joined by the crossover or bridging section 121'. The incorporation ofthe S-shaped reinforcing element 118 into the wall structure is exactly the same as that illustrated for the reinforcing element 18 in FIG- URE 2, that is, it is embedded in the mortar layer 117a of the adjacent blocks 114 which form between their proximate ends the open joint 116'with the crossover section 121 bridging the open joint. The s shaped reinforcing element 118, is, of course, more resilient than the figure 8 type of reinforcing element 18 when both are made from the same steel rod stock, having only half the resistance to elongating fiexure and rotation.

This S-shaped reinforcing element 118 is also illustrated in the showing of FIGURE 4 in a narrower width form designated as 118' for use with the narrower masonry blocks 114', the latter being of the same type as shown at 14' in FIGURE 5. The reinforcing element 118' is illustrated by itself in the showing of FIGURE 7 wherein it is observed that its respective parts 119a, 119b', 120a, 12015, 121', 124 and 125' all correspond to their unprimed numerical counterparts shown in the reinforcing element 118 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURES 8, 9 and 10 illustrate the application of the reinforcing element of the present invention in various other types of masonry constructions. Thus, FIGURE 8 shows the element disposed in position to provide a reinforced expansion joint between a main wall 200 consisting of a plurality of vertically stacked courses of brick, cement or cinder blocks and a partition wall or the like 201 extending at right angles to the main wall. The main wall 200 and the partition wall 201 are disposed relative to one another to provide an open joint 203 similar to the joint 16 of FIGURE 1 which serves as a stress reliever to prevent uncontrolled cracking of the wall as hereinbefore described.

The adjoining sections of the walls 200 and 201 are tied together by reinforcing expansion joint elements 203 which are generally similar to and installed in the same manner as the elements 18 shown in FIGURE 6. These jointing expansion elements 203 are each generally of figure 8 shape having a pair of closed loop portions 204 and 205 joined together by a central X-shaped crossover portion 206, each of the looped portions being of such width and length as to overlie and be embedded in the mortar which is laid between and binds together the successive courses of the wall blocks. As in the previously described constructions, the central X-shaped cross-over portion of each expansion element 203 bridges the open joint between the interconnected walls and since these cross-overs serve as resilient connections between the abutting ends of the joined wall, the latter are free to expand and contract relatively to one another within the flexibility limits of the expansion joint reinforcing elements and so prevent the development of cracks in the mortared sections of the walls.

FIGURE 9 shows a construction of a brick-faced concrete block wall utilizing reinforcing elements 210 which are of increased width to encompass in the region of the open joint 211 of the wall the abutting ends of concrete or cinder blocks 212 and the corresponding ends of wall facing blocks 213, such as brick or the like. In this arrangement, as in the previously described arrangement, the central cross-over portion of the reinforcing element 210 is freely disposed between the 'ends of adjoining sections of the wall and thus provide aresilient connection between the open-jointed sections of the walls which maintains the sections in coplanar alinement and yet permits them to move relative to one another under normal expansion and contraction stresses.

FIGURE illustrates still another arrangement wherein the expansion reinforcing element 215 as shown is of a width sufiicient to encompass and tie together the open-jointed ends of brick wall sections each of which is formed of superimposed mortared courses of bricks, each course being three bricks wide. It will be noted that in such a brick wall construction, the bricks which define the open joint 216 are set back from one another in the center or inner tier thereof to provide ample space, as at 217, to freely receive the cross-over portion 218 of the reinforcing element and permit it to flex as the adjoining wall sections move relatively to one another.

As has been previously indicated, the expansible reinforcing elements of the present invention may be embedded as described between any desired adjoining courses of the mortared wall-forming blocks or bricks. Thus, they may be embedded in each course or in vertically spaced courses of the wall-building elements, but in each in stance the reinforcing element is so disposed as to span the open joint between adjoining sections of the wall with the central cross-over portion thereof free to flex under conditions tending to move one wall section relative to its adjoining wall section.

Having now described my invention in connection with particularly illustrated embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated that variations and modifications of my invention may now occur from time to time to those persons normally skilled in the art without departing from the essential scope or spirit thereof and accordingly it is intended to claim the same broadly as well as specifically as indicated by the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. A masonry wall structure, comprising in combination,

(a) a pair of vertically standing spaced apart masonry wall sections, each such wall section being progressively built up of horizontal courses of masonry blocks bonded together so that the unbonded ends of the terminal blocks in all courses of each Wall section are in substantially vertical alignment, and

(b) at least one unitarily formed wall reinforcing element disposed horizontally between a successive pair of courses of blocks in each of said pair of wall sections and bonded therebetween including a resilient bridging section which bridges the gap between said spaced apart wall sections to thereby tie said wall sections together and reinforce each by the other.

2. A masonry wall structure, comprising in combination,

(a) a pair of vertically standing spaced apart masonry wall sections each of which is progressively built up of horizontal courses of masonry blocks bonded together so that the unbonded ends of the terminal blocks in all courses of each wall section are in substantially vertical alignment, and

(b) at least one unitarily formed wall reinforcing element having opposite end sections joined by an intermediate resilient section, said end sections being respectively disposed horizontally between a successive pair of courses of blocks in each of said pair of wall sections and rigidly bonded thereto, with said intermediate resilient section freely bridging the gap between said spaced apart wall sections.

3. A masonry wall structure, comprising in combination,

(a) a pair of vertically standing spaced apart masonry wall sections each of which is progressively built up of horizontal courses of masonry blocks bonded to gether so that the unbonded ends of the terminal blocks in all courses of each wall section are in substantially vertical alignment, and each course in one wall section is in horizontal alignment with a corresponding course in the other wall section, and

(b) at least one unitarily formed wall reinforcing element having substantially co-planar opposite end sections joined by an intermediate resilient section, said substantially co-planar end sections being respectively disposed horizontally between a successive pair of courses of blocks in each of said pair of wall sections and rigidly bonded thereto, with said intermediate resilient section freely bridging the gap between said spaced apart wall sections.

4. A masonry wall structure, comprising in combination,

(a) a pair of vertically standing spaced apart masonry wall sections each of which is progressively built up of horizontal courses of masonry blocks bonded together so that the unbonded ends of the terminal blocks in all courses of each wall section are in substantially vertical alignment, and each course in one wall section is in horizontal alignment with a corresponding course in the other wall section, and

(b) at least one wall reinforcing element having substantially co-planar opposite end sections joined by an intermediate resilient section, said substantially co-planar end sections being respectively disposed horizontally between a successive pair of courses of blocks in each of said pair of wall sections and rigidly bonded thereto, with said intermediate resilient section freely bridging the gap between said spaced apart wall sections, said reinforcing element being substantially in the form of a figure eight with said opposite end sections forming the bights of the loops thereof and said intermediate resilient gap bridging section forming the crossovers joining the ends of the loop bights to one another, said crossovers being free of movement-restricting securement to one another.

5. A masonry wall structure, comprising in combination,

(a) a pair of vertically standing spaced apart masonry wall sections each of which is progressively built up of horizontal courses of masonry blocks bonded together so that the unbonded ends of the terminal blocks in all courses of each wall section are in substantially vertical alignment, and

(b) at least one wall reinforcing element having opposite end sections joined by an intermediate resilient section, said end sections being respectively disposed horizontally between a successive pair of courses of blocks in each of said pair of Wall sections and rigidly bonded thereto, with said intermediate resilient section freely bridging the gap between said spaced apart wall sections, said end sections forming the bights of loops disposed with their ends proximate to the gap between said wall sections, and said intermediate resilient section being in the form of an X free of movement-restricting securement of the crossover with the terminal ends thereof joining the ends of the loop bights to one another.

6. A masonry wall structure, comprising in combination,

(a) a pair of vertically standing spaced apart masonry wall sections each of which is progressively built up of horizontal courses of masonry blocks bonded together so that the unbonded ends of the terminal blocks in all courses of each wall section are in substantially vertical alignment, and each course in one wall section is in horizontal alignment with a corresponding course in the other Wall section, and

(b) at least one wall reinforcing element having substantially co-planar opposite end sections joined by an intermediate resilient section, said substantially co-planar end sections being respectively disposed horizontally between a successive pair of courses of blocks in each of said pair of wall sections and rigidly bonded thereto, with said intermediate resilient section freely bridging the gap between said spaced apart wall sections, said reinforcing element being generally of squared S-shape with each of said opposite end sections forming one of the J-shaped and reversed inverted J-shaped squared portions thereof the ends of which are joined by the opposite ends of the said intermediate resilient section extending diagonally therebetween, said resiliznt section being in length at least several times the length of the gap which is bridged.

7. A masonry wall structure, comprising in combination,

(a) a pair of vertically standing spaced apart masonry wall sections each of which is progressively built up of horizontal courses of masonry blocks bonded together so that the unbonded ends of the terminal blocks in all courses of each wall section are in substantially vertical alignment, and

(b) at least one wall reinforcing element having opposite end sections joined by an intermediate resilient section, said end sections being respectively disposed horizontally between a successive pair of courses of blocks in each of said pair of wall sections and rigidly bonded thereto, with said intermediate resilient section freely bridging the gap between said spaced apart wall sections, said end sections being of J-shape and inverted reversed J-shape having the main strokes thereof disposed in laterally offset parallel relationship with the ends of the main strokes disposed proximate to the gap between said wall sections and joined by the opposite ends of the said intermediate resilient section extending diagonally therebetween.

8. In a masonry wall of the type having a pair of vertically standing spaced apart masonry wall sections each of which is progressively built up of horizontal courses of masonry blocks bonded together so that the unbonded ends of the terminal blocks in all courses of each wall section are in substantially vertical alignment, a masonry wall reinforcing element, comprising in combination, opposite end sections joined by an intermediate resilient section, said end sections being respectively disposable horizontally between a successive pair of courses of blocks in each of said pair of wall sections and rigidly bondable thereto as said wall sections are built up with said intermediate resilient section disposed at least in part substantially orthogonally to the plane of the wall sections and freely bridging the gap between the wall sections.

9. In a masonry wall of the type having a pair of vertically standing spaced apart masonry wall sections each of which is progressively built up of horizontal courses of masonry blocks bonded together so that the unbonded ends of the terminal blocks in all courses of each wall section are in substantially vertical alignment, a masonry wall reinforcing element, comprising in combination, opposite end sections joined by an intermediate resilient section, said end sections being respectively disposable horizontally between a successive pair of courses of blocks in each of said pair of wall sections and rigidly bondable thereto as said wall sections are built up with said intermediate resilient section freely bridging the gap between the wall sections, said end sections forming the bights of loops and said intermediate resilient section being in the form of an X free of movement-restricting securement at the crossover with the terminal ends thereof joining the ends of the loop bights to one another.

10. In a masonry wall of the type having a pair of vertically standing spaced apart masonry Wall sections each of which is progressively built up of horizontal courses of masonry blocks bonded together so that the unbonded ends of the terminal blocks in all courses of each wall section are in substantially vertical alignment, a masonry wall reinforcing element, comprising in combination, opposite end sections joined by an intermediate resilient section, said end sections being respectively disposable horizontally between a successive pair of courses of blocks in each of said pair of wall sections and rigidly bondable thereto as said wall sections are built up with said intermediate resilient section freely bridging the gap between the wall sections, said end sections being of J- shape and inverted reversed J-shape having the main strokes thereof disposed in laterally offset parallel relationship with the ends of the main strokes joined by the opposite ends of the said intermediate resilient section extending diagonally therebetween.

11. In a masonry wall of the type having a pair of vertically standing spaced apart masonry Wall sections each of which is progressively built up of horizontal courses of masonry blocks bonded together so that the unbonded ends of the terminal blocks in all courses of each Wall section are in substantially vertical alignment, a masonry wall reinforcing element, comprising in combination, substantially co-planar opposite end'sections joined by an intermediate resilient section, said substantially co-planar end sections being-re pectively disposable horizontally between a successive pair of courses of blocks in each of said pair of wall seciions and rigidly bondable thereto as said wall sections are built up with said intermediate resilient section freely bridging the gap between the wall sections, said reinforcing element being substantially in the form of a figure eight with said opposite end sections forming the bights of the loops thereof and said intermediate resilient gap bridging section forming the crossovers joining the ends of the loop bights to one another, said crossovers being free of movementrestricting securement to one another.

12. In a masonry wall of the type having a pair of vertically standing spaced apart masonry wall sections each of which is progressively built up of horizontal courses of masonry blocks bonded together so that the unbonded ends of the terminal blocks in all courses of each wall section are in substantially vertical alignment, a masonry wall reinforcing element, comprising in combination, substantially co-planar opposite end sections joined by an intermediate resilient section, said substantially coplanar end sections being respectively disposable horizontally between a successive pair of courses of blocks in each of said pair of wall sections and rigidly bondable thereto as said Wall sections are built up with said intermediate resilient section freely bridging the gap between the wall sections, said reinforcing element being generally of squared S-shape with each of said opposite end sections forming one of the J-shaped and reversed inverted J-shaped squared portions thereof the ends of which are joined by the opposite ends of the said intermediate resilient section extending diagonally therebetween, said resilient section being in length at least several times the length of the wall gap to be bridged.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,228,417 6/1917 Eason 52-428 1,439,650 12/1922 Thomas 52-714 1,818,416 8/1931 Meara 52-712 1,946,732 2/1934 Danielson 52-713 2,093,718 9/1937 Fremont 94-18 2,183,484 12/1939 Webb 94l8 2,869,356 l/1959 Kulhavy et al 52-442 3,309,828 3/1967 Tribble 52-713 FOREIGN PATENTS 27,220 6/ 1911 Great Britain. 575,392 5/1959 Canada.

OTHER REFERENCES Architectural Record, October 1963, p. 273.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner. I. L. RIDGILL, JR., Assistant Examiner. 

